A semi-autonomous vehicle (i.e., driver-assisted) can assume certain tasks of driving that are otherwise performed by a human driver. An autonomous vehicle (i.e., driverless, self-driving, robotic) is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without assistance from a human driver. Existing semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle technology relies on a spinning range-finding unit such as a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device mounted on the roof of the vehicle. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional LIDAR device that sits atop the roof of an autonomous vehicle. A conventional LIDAR device has 64 lasers and receivers. In operation, the LIDAR device scans its surroundings and creates a detailed map of the vehicle's environment as the vehicle moves in the environment.
Specifically, LIDAR is a surveying method that measures a distance to an object by illuminating that object with a light. A LIDAR device can use laser, ultraviolet, visible, or near-infrared light to image objects. It can target a wide range of materials, including non-metallic objects, rocks, rain, chemical compounds, aerosols, clouds, and even single molecules. A narrow laser-beam can map physical features with very high resolutions. For example, an aircraft can map terrain at 30-centimetre (12 inch) resolution or better.
A autonomous navigation system includes software that employs information obtained from a LIDAR device to generate a map and compare it with a known or existing map. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a map of a vehicle's environment generated by an autonomous navigation system based on LIDAR signals obtained by scanning an environment with a LIDAR device. As such, the autonomous navigation system can adapt to any differences from the known map and the generated map to navigate the vehicle. Unfortunately, existing LIDAR systems lack broad consumer appeal because conventional LIDAR devices are awkward and bulky, and retrofitting existing vehicles for such devices is cost-prohibitive.